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08/23/2010

Remember that Augusta State University student who, as part of her counseling studies, said she planned to tell gay clients "their behavior is morally wrong and then help the client change that behavior"? Well on Friday, a District Judge confirmed that the school does, in fact, have a right to set its own curriculum standards based on facts, science, and inclusivity rather than personally-held biases:

U.S. District Judge Randal Hall's decision enables university officials to expel Jennifer Keeton if she does not follow the remediation plan, which professors designed to "address issues of multicultural competence and develop understanding and empathy."

Hall said the case is not about "pitting Christianity against homosexuality," but rather the constitutionality of the school's requirement.
...
In an Aug. 11 hearing, ASU professors testified that the plan was not a punishment for voicing her beliefs, but a tool to teach Keeton how to counsel clients while not imposing her views.

"All three professors testified that they never told (Keeton) that she was required to change her religious beliefs in order to stay in the counseling program," Hall wrote.
...
Hall said Keeton's unwillingness to adhere to the school's viewpoint-neutral code of ethics set by the American Counseling Association constitutes a refusal to complete the curriculum. Judge rejects Keeton lawsuit [Augusta Chronicle]

If any entrepreneurial gay wants to set up a line of District Judge Thank You cards, the market is certainly there.